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Man Diagnosed as Brain Dead Recovers.
In a case raising serious questions about procedures used to determine brain death, a man declared brain dead was found to be very much alive just four hours after that diagnosis, just as his family was getting ready to pay their respects and say goodbye.
A mere four months after 21-year-old Zach Dunlap crashed his four-wheel ATV, leaving him with "catastrophic brain injuries," he appeared on the NBC's Today Show, able to recount his ordeal, on his way to recovery.
So what had happened?
Following the November 2007 accident, the doctor involved informed Zach's parents and family of what he described as Zach's "catastrophic brain injuries." He showed them two sets of CT scans that indicated no blood flow whatsoever to the brain, according to Dateline NBC.
As the young man was being prepared for organ transplantation, his cousins, who were both nurses, noticed that his vitals appeared to be improving and that he did not match their experience of typical brain dead patients. As another nurse was removing life support, Zach's cousin ran two reflex tests on his ownone on the bottom of Zach's foot, and the other by pinching the tender area under the fingernail.
Both elicited a voluntary reaction. This was contrary to a diagnosis of brain death, as there could be no voluntary movement whatsoever once brain dead. Since "brain death" demands that the condition is irreversible, the probable error lies in the diagnosis.
They summoned Dr. Leo Mercer, director of trauma services at United Regional hospital. Mercer told Dateline NBC that he agreed Dunlap was making "purposeful movements." The organ transplant process was halted immediately.
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- Magazine article from: The Hastings Center Report MORIOKA, MASAHIRO July 1, 2001 700+ words
...to the concept of brain death, and (c) giving...remove organs from brain dead patients, patients...could not accept brain death because the brain dead patient's body...She concluded that brain death is an "invisible...
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- Newspaper article from: The Independent - London NEDA M DESMOND March 23, 1996 700+ words
...to stimulate respiration. Brain death tests follow strict criteria...reaction to a bright light; brain dead patients do not. To confuse...to be withdrawn following brain death, and also results in brain-dead patients remaining on ventilators...
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- Newspaper article from: Transplant News February 28, 1994 700+ words
...patients declared brain dead, the issue is certain...operations from brain death donors at this moment...patient declared brain dead. They involve...procurement or to diagnose brain death on lethally damaged but not brain dead patients), embarrassment...
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- Newspaper article from: Transplant News August 26, 1999 700+ words
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- Thoughts of The Times; An Explanation of Brain Death.
- Newspaper article from: Korea Times (Seoul, Korea) February 9, 2000 700+ words
...transplants from brain dead patients, much...recognizing brain death as medical death...different from the brain dead. Unlike brain death where all areas...definition of death. Brain death can be viewed...the reason why brain dead patients ...
- Majority of transplant center officials feel Japan brain death law a burden.
- Newspaper article from: Transplant News May 28, 2002 700+ words
...questions about brain death tests and transplants...donation from brain-dead patients. The...donation, perform brain death tests, have a...been declared brain death resulting in 19...organs from the brain-dead patients.
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- Newspaper article from: Transplant News May 28, 1997 700+ words
...transplant bill that would recognize brain death as human death before the current...allow doctors to remove organs from brain dead patients for transplantation, albeit...dead donors but did not recognize brain death as the end of life. The other bill...
- Brain death and organ donation: you can have one without the other.
- Magazine article from: The Hastings Center Report Annas, George J. June 1, 1988 700+ words
...One Without the Other Brain death and organ transplantation...transplantation, which requires a brain dead corpse whose circulation...for a determination of brain death. But what recourse, if any, do the parents of a brain dead child have if a hospital...
Source: HighBeam Research, Man Diagnosed as Brain Dead Recovers.